Abstract: Grants parish and municipal governing authorities certain powers over local public
libraries.
Present law authorizes parish and municipal governing authorities to create, by ordinance, public
libraries. Requires parish and municipal governing authorities to create public libraries when
petitioned by not less than 25% of the duly qualified property taxpayers of the respective parish or
municipality. Further requires parish governing authorities to appoint not less than five nor more
than seven citizens of the parish as a board of control and municipal governing authorities to appoint
five citizens as a board of control.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law requires board of control members to serve five-year staggered terms. Proposed law
instead provides that members serve at the pleasure of the governing authority.
Present law authorizes the board of control to establish rules and regulations for its own government
and that of the library not inconsistent with law.
Proposed law clarifies that the board's rules and regulations cannot be inconsistent with state law and
additionally provides that the rules and regulations cannot be inconsistent with ordinances of the
parish or municipal governing authority.
Proposed law additionally grants the parish or municipal governing authority the power to regulate
and oversee the board of control and its officers, employees, and libraries and to conduct the
oversight through separate panels, commissions, or boards, which it may create for that purpose.
(Amends R.S. 25:214(A) and (B) and 215(A))


Statutes affected:
HB25 Original: 25:214(A), 25:215(A)